Shoe-stretcher.



J. DUBOIS.

SHYOE STRETCHER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1911.

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U .1 9 1 F M p F g u M, J 1 M J. UUBOIS.

SHOE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1917.

P bellied Nov. 27, 191?.

ATTORNEY JOSEPH minors, or ncno, oisneon.

SHOE-STRETCHER.

0 Specification of Letters latent. Pgatgntcefll Nov, 2'3, 1%1'3',

Application filed July 24, 1917. Serial No. 182,482.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnr'H DUIsoIs, a citizen of the United States residing at Echo, in the county of Umatilla and State of Ore- 5 gon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sho'e-Stretchers, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to boots and shoes, and more especially to lasts having separate heel blocks; and the object of the same is to produce a last whose parts are capable of connection with the operating shaft or staff in such manner that the boot or shoe may be stretched laterally or longitudinally, or both, and to the desired degree within limits.

Further objects will appear from the following specification and claims. reference being had to the accompanying drawings 0 forming part of the same and wherein Figure l is a side elevation of this device ready for use excepting that the toe block and the heel block are detached and removed slightly from their proper position.

0 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the toe block, the

operating mechanism, and one wing or part of the body swung outward from said mechanism, and a horizontal section of the other part of the body through its cam groove, the section being carried through the heel block and its connection with the hinge.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal central section through all parts with the nearer half or wing of the body entirely removed.

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of the swivel in the operating mechanism, showing the wedge. slightly dropped out of position where it connects therewith.

Fi 5 is a perspective view of the rear end of the body portion, showing the channels alongside the leaves of the hinge, and Fig. 6 is a corresponding perspective view of the forward end of the heel block showing the lips which engage said hinge-leaves.

This improved shoe stretcher is a last made in members which are separable from each other and from the operating mechanism and therefore which may be used selectively. One member is the toe block, and in the complete article I will provide several of these members of various sizes. Another member'is the heel block, also provided in several pieces of various sizes. The third and principal member is the body, made in two parts or wings hingedly connected With each other at their rear ends. These also may be provided in sizes, although perhaps one size will answer for most boots or shoes by the application of patches as will be explained. Ordinarily, I prefer to manufacturc my device in about three sizeslarge, medium, and small-each size having perhaps two or three toe blocks and two or three heel blocks, but using the same body portion; and the purchaser by buying one of each size and its appropriate pieces or blocks will have on hand a last or stretcher for almost any boot or shoe which needs attention. The seve'al blocks and the parts or wings of the body are preferably of wood, the patches or attachments may be of leather or metal, and the other portions are p by preference metal; and the exact details and proportions and sizes of parts are not essential to the present invention.

Coming now to the specific description of details and referring by reference numerals to the accompanying drawings, the body portion is made up of two halves, wings, or parts 1 and 2 which are complementary of each other and shaped about as shown, each preferably having one or more recesses as at 3 for the insertion and removal of a pad whereby the contour may be changed at will. The use of these pads for enlarging a last or stretcher at points whereof the foot of the wearer necessitates, is well known in the art and needs no elaboration here. I have shown the toe blocks (described below) as provided with bunions which are usually convex metal plates having stems insertible in holes bored in the parts of a last, and obviously the several parts could have appropriate holes for attachment of these devices when necessary. Often, too, the shoemaker tacks on patches or pads of leather or the like, and for this purpose the blocks are usually of wood. By this and other means irregularities in the shape of the foot may be filled out by additions to the last at appropriate points, and these irregularities are not to be considered matters of size which I take care of by providing each out- I fit with several toe blocks and several heel.

pose yet to appear. The working'faces of grooves converge near the toe ends of the wings, and away from a hinge 7 whose leaves connect the flat rear ends 8 of the wings. Said ends are provided along the outer edges of the hinge-leaves with upright grooves or channels 9 for a purpose yet to be described. Attached to the toe end of each wing is a curved sheet-metal guard 10 whose use will be set forth.

The operating mechanism comprises a threaded shaft or staff 11 having a handle 12 at its rear end, its front end being swiveled in a block 13 which is rectangular in plan view and has a forwardly extending internally threaded tube 11 as seen; and the numeral 15 designates a wedge .having through its body a longitudinal open-topped channel whose walls are notched to produce a recess 16 capable of closely embracing said block 13 when the wedge is in place. The edges of this wedge are adapted to travel in the cam grooves 5 in the wings 1 and 2 of the body portion of the last as theswivel block 13 moves to and fro. For causing longitudinal movement of the staff 11 when turned by the handle 12, its threads engage through a nut 17 having a globular exterior and radially and diametrically oppositely projecting trunnions 18 which engage the holes 6 in the two wings: however, when the wings are spread apart as their hinge permits, the holes disengage said trunnions and the entire operating mechanism can be lifted out of the body of the last. At this time the swivel block 13 may be lifted out of the channel in the wedge, and in fact all parts may be disconnected for cleaning or repa1r.

Manifestly the rotation of the staff in the proper direction will cause the wedge to move forward, so that its outer edges travel up the active faces of the cam grooves 5 and spread apart the front ends of the wings, their rear ends remaining connected by the hinge 7 On the other hand, rotation of the stalf in the opposite direction will retract the Wedge and permit the wings to collapse until their fiat inner faces come into contact. Now the entire body portion may be removed from the boot or shoe by drawing upward on the handle 12 and pulling the last out of place, as clearly understood.

The toe block 20 is of appropriate size and conformation, and is adapted to move inward and outward longitudinally beneath the sheet-metal guards 10 at the front ends of the wings. In order to effect the adjustment of this toe block, it has a threaded stem 21 which screws into the tube 14, and

may be run into the same to a considerable degre out of it somewhat if the shoe is longer; and

e if the shoe is short, or may be run subsequent forward movement of the swivel block 13 and tube 141 naturally causes the forward movement of the toe block so that the shoe is stretched longitudinally at the same time that it is stretched transversely. If longitudinal stretching is not desired, the toe block is removed entirely or is adjusted with its stem so far in the tube that its longitudinal adjustment is not suiiicient to stretclYthe shoe.

The heel block 30 is of appropriate configuration to fill out the rear portion of the last, and as above suggested a complete outfit may include two or three of these blocks of different size. Its front end is channeled to overlie the knuckles and pintle of the hinge 7, and Within said channel is secured a plate 31 having at its side edges upright inturned flanges or lips32 to slidably en. gage the side edges of the hinge-leaves when said block is moved upward so that the lips travel within the channels 9 above described. Across the top of the block is a groove 35 through which the staif 11. extends when the parts are in operative and connected condition. This groove bisects or bifurcates the top of the block, and the arms of the bifurcation mav be pierced with registering holes 36 through which can be passed a pin 37 overlying the staff to hold the block from dropping out of place when the last is being inserted or removed from the shoe. When in position within the shoe, the insole of the latter holds this block alined with the body portion, the same as the insole holds i the toe block alined and prevenjrs it from rotating after it has been adjusted. The heel block is not adjusted longitudinally by movement of the actuating mechanism, but if it' is desired tostretch the shoe longitudinally, it is accomplished by properly setting' the toe block in a manner already described and then rotating the staff 11, with the result that the entire length of the last is; increased as it stands within the boot .or shoe,

and the latter is therefore stretched longisertion of stems of bunion and other en largements, because ordinarily the heel of a boot or shoe does not need these pads for extraneous members; yet I preferably make this element of wood so that on rare occasions when a pad is necessary, it can be tacked upon as the artist will understand.

What is claimed as new is 1. Alast whose body portion is divided longitudinally into two complementary wings having their meeting faces provided with registering cam grooves intersected near their rear ends by transverse holes, the rear naaaaao 'r-g' ends of said wings being provided with upright channels, and a hinge whose leaves are secured to said ends and partly overlie the said channels; combined with a threaded staii having a handle, a toe block swiveled on its front end, a .wedge swivelly connected with its lower portion and moving in said eain grooves, a nut engaging the threads of the stai'i' and having diametrically opposite trunnions removably engaged in said holes, a heel block, and a late secured to this block and having uprighh intnrned flanges to slidably engage the edges of the hinge leaves.

A last whose body portion is divided iongitndinally into two complementary wings having their meeting faces -)rovided with registering cani grooves intersected near their rear ends by transverse holes, the rear ends of said wings being cut oil" flat and provided with upright channels, and a hinge whose leaves are secured to said ends and partly overlie the said channels; combined with a threaded stall having a handle, a Wedge swivelly con-- nected with its lower end and moving in said cam grooves, a not engaging the threads of the and having diametrically opposite trunnions removably engaged in said holes, a heel block grooved in its upper end to receive said staff and channeled in its front end, and a plate secured in said chan nel and having upright inturned flanges to slidably engage edges of the hinge leaves.

3. A. last having two-part body portion, ahinge whose leaves are secured to the rear ends of the parts, said ends being channeled at the edges of the leaves, means for spreadmg the forward portions of said parts, and

a rotating stail for operating said means, the staff projecting between the rear ends of the parts above said hinge; combined with a heel block having its upper end bifurcated to receive said staff, means for holding the latter therein, and upright inturncd flanges at the front end oi the bloeia for siidably entering the channels in the parts ol the body andengaging the edges of said hinge leaves.

The herein described shoe stretcher comprising a body portion in two parts hingedly connected at their rear ends, means for spreading them at their front ends, and. a rotating stall i'or actuating said means extending between their rear ends; a heel bloc-n detachahly coniuwled with said rear ends and grooved to receive said stall; a toe block, and adjustable connections l)e tween it and said spreading means whereby the block is projected longitudinally as the parts of the body are spread transversely.

5. in a shoe stretcher, the combination with a body member in two parts hingodly connected at their rear ends and having cant grooves in their meeting faces, curved guards carried by said parts and projecting beyond their front ends, and spreading mechanism including a longitudinally movable wedge mounted in said can grooves and having a forwardly projecting internally threaded tube; of a toe lJlOCli movable longitudinally beneath said. guards, and a stem projecting rigidly to the rear from said block and threaded to adjustably enga ge said tube.

in testimony whereof I anix my signature.

JOSEPH DUBOIS. 

